This invention relates to pressure release devices for internally pressurized fluid containers.
Pressurized fluid containers are in widespread use for packaging and dispensing a variety of fluid products, including liquids, gases and combinations thereof. Under normal operating conditions, such containers perform entirely satisfactorily. However, in the event that the contents of such containers become overpressurized, either because of improper use, exposure to heat or for any other reason, then a violent rupture may occur. For the last 30 years, those skilled in the art have been attempting to deal with this problem by incorporating various types of pressure release devices into the container structures. Examples of some of these previously developed pressure release devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,795,350 (Lapin); 2,951,614 (Greene); 3,074,602 (Shillady, et al); 3,292,826 (Abplanalp); 3,515,308 (Hayes et al); 3,622,051 (Benson); 3,724,727 (Zundel); 3,759,414 (Beard); 3,815,534 (Kneusel); 3,826,412 (Kneusel); 3,831,822 (Zundel); 4,003,505 (Hardt); 4,158,422 (Witten et al); and 4,347,942 (Jernberg et al). However, for a variety of reasons including unreliability, high cost, difficulty of maintaining critical tolerances during manufacture, etc., none of these devices has proved to be acceptable.
The objective of the present invention is to provide an improved pressure release device which operates reliably within a predictable range of pressures, which is simple in design, capable of being mass produced, and which can be integrally incorporated into the container structure at a reasonable cost to the consumer.